Whiteoak secures SHAC win over rival Fairfield; also defeats Miller Falcons

LEESBURG — Thursday evening the Whiteoak Wildcats used two innings of scoring three or more runs to secure a Southern Hills Athletic Conference win over their longtime rival, the Fairfield Lions, by an 8-4 score in the first of their two showdowns they’ll have against each other this season. 

The Lions and Wildcats were both held scoreless by the other in the first inning, but both teams reached the scoreboard in the second, leaving Fairfield in the lead by a 2-1 score. 

In the game played at Fairfield High School, the Wildcats struck first with one run in the top of the second, as Abraham Flader scored the first run of the game off a single hit by Izayah Clift for the 1-0 lead.

That lead went away when the Lions took their turn at the plate in the bottom of the second inning with Zach Ahsaruk having a sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher to score Corbin Willey from third base. Willey led off the inning with a base hit, followed by him moving to third base on a Blaine Fauber single that was sent to centerfield. 

As Fairfield had two outs against them, the Lions didn’t blink, with Otis Cockerill hitting a single to left field, scoring Fauber from third base for the 2-1 advantage. 

Whiteoak tied the score and then some in the top of the third when Jonah Michael hit a one-out single to centerfield, followed by a walk to Jacen Applegate on a five-pitch at-bat. The score was tied when Jacob Kiley hit a single to left field, scoring Michael from second base. 

The Wildcats took the lead off a base hit by Flader to centerfield in the next at-bat, scoring Applegate for the 3-2 advantage. The lead increased by two more runs in the next plate appearance with Kiley scoring on a wild pitch, and on that same pitch Flader went to third base, then scored a run as he reached home in the same sequence of events for the 5-2 lead. 

After Whiteoak’s four-run third inning, the Lions were the next team to plate runs, scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-4 score. In that run-producing inning for the Lions, Corey Zimmerman walked with one out, and with two outs Zimmerman scored a run off a line drive single off the bat of Zane Matthews. 

Still with two outs, the Lions weren’t finished, as their fourth run of the game crossed the plate when Fauber singled to right field, scoring Matthews from second base and a 5-4 score. 

The next big inning went to Whiteoak as they built a three-run inning in the top of the seventh.

That inning started off with an out, and from there Michael singled to left field, followed by Applegate taking first on an error, as Michael went to second base. Next Kiley was hit by a pitch, and next came the three runs by the Wildcats. 

Camron Storms entered the game as a pinch runner for Whiteoak, and the first of three runs crossed the plate as Michael scored on a passed ball. Next in the same at-bat, Applegate scored on another passed ball, and next came a sacrifice fly hit by Flader to score Storms for the 8-4 lead. 

WHS slammed the door shut in the bottom of the seventh inning, ending the game with three straight outs off a strikeout, fly out and a line out to end the game. 

For the Lions, they had six hits and two errors, while their SHAC counterpart Whiteoak had seven hits and two errors. 

Willey ended his day at the plate for Fairfield at 2-for-3 with one run, Fauber finished 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. 

Matthews went 1-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Teammate Cockerill was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Ahsaruk finished the day with one RBI. Willey and Zimmerman were both credited with a steal. 

Whiteoak had two players with two hits each, as Michael was 2-for-4 with two runs. Flader finished 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI and a walk as he also had two steals. 

Zander Roades finished 1-for-4 with a steal. Kiley was 1-for-3 with a run, a hit by pitch, a steal and one RBI. 

Clift was 1-for-2 with one RBI, a steal and a walk. The Wildcats also had two runs and two walks by Applegate. Also with a run was Storms. 

Clift was also the winning pitcher, going the complete game of seven innings. He allowed four earned runs on six hits and one walk, plus he struck out 14 Fairfield batters as he threw 93 pitches, 72 for strikes. 

Willey was charged with the loss for the Lions, as he pitched six innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and four walks with eight strikeouts. Willey totaled 120 pitches, 72 for strikes. Fauber pitched one inning, allowing three runs (none earned) on one hit and no walks. 

The loss moved Fairfield to 3-2 in the SHAC and 3-5 overall. Whiteoak in the win improved to 3-1 in the SHAC and 5-3 overall. 

BOX SCORE
WHS    014 000 3 — 8 7 2 
FHS    020 020 x — 4 6 2 

—---------

On Wednesday, April 16, the Whiteoak Wildcats traveled to Chillicothe to play at the VA Memorial Stadium where they defeated Miller, 12-2 in six innings. 

WHS scored one run in the bottom of the first inning, followed by a two-run second, one run in the third, four runs in the fourth and a one-run fifth, and they capped the win off with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. 

Miller scored one run in the top of the second and another run in the top of the third inning. Miller ended the game with four hits and three errors, while the Wildcats had nine hits and two errors. 

Jacen Applegate was 3-for-3 in the game, adding four RBI, a double, plus a walk with two steals. 

Izayah Clift went 2-for-3 with two runs, a double, one walk and one steal. 

Jacob Gibson ended his day at 1-for-4 with two runs, a double, and one steal. Jacob Kiley finished 1-for-3 with one run and a walk. 

Zander Roades was 1-for-3, scoring four runs, while also collecting one RBI, a double, a walk, and four stolen bases. Also with a hit was Wyatt Ruark, who was 1-for-3 with one run, three RBI and a walk. 

Caden Butler collected a stolen base, while Abraham Flader had a run, two walks and a steal. Jonah Michael ended the game with one run, two walks and two steals. 

On the mound the win went to Roades who in six innings allowed two runs (nine earned) on four hits and two walks. He totaled 11 strikeouts in the victory. 

BOX SCORE 
MHS    011 000 x — 2 4 3 
WHS    121 413 x — 12 9 2